Northboro restaurant shakes up dinner

Monday

Nov 19, 2012 at 6:00 AMNov 19, 2012 at 11:39 PM

Hakan Zirh and Yuri Krasnov wanted to bring the authentic flavor of the Mediterranean to downtown Northboro. But they wanted to offer more than kabobs and moussaka. The restaurant will soon offer live entertainment, in the form of a belly dancer. Town officials had some hesitation as to whether this was appropriate entertainment for a family dining experience in Northboro.

By Donna Boynton TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Hakan Zirh and Yuri Krasnov wanted to bring the authentic flavor of the Mediterranean to downtown Northboro.

In August, the two business partners and their wives, Denise Zirh and Galina Krasnov, opened Zem Han in the former Tom's Eating and Drinking Place in the brick building in the center of town at Routes 135 and 20.

But the owners of Zem Han wanted to offer more than kabobs and moussaka: They wanted a full cultural experience. Thus, the restaurant will soon offer live entertainment, in the form of a belly dancer.

Town officials had some hesitation as to whether this was appropriate entertainment for a family dining experience in Northboro.

“The main issue for me was notice,” said Selectman Aaron Hutchins. “If you are at the restaurant with your family and a belly dancer comes in, maybe that is not something you want to expose your children to. I know I certainly wouldn't.”

Mr. Hutchins pushed for a clause in the entertainment license requiring Zem Han to post the specific days and times of the belly dancing performances on its website and on the door of the restaurant.

“They are not doing anything wrong; they are not doing anything illegal. This is just a matter of choice,” Mr. Hutchins said. “As an elected official, it is my job to give people choices. If we didn't, I could probably guarantee that we would hear back from someone who went to the restaurant, that they didn't know or that they were offended. Our primary concern as a regulatory board is with entertainment licenses in public safety and public welfare. Public safety is not an issue here, but is it in the best interest of the public to know there will be a belly dancer performing

“It's not about restrictions; it's about choice and notification,” Mr. Hutchins said.

At Zem Han, every dish has a story. Mr. Zirh and Mr. Krasnov don't want just to fill people's stomachs, they want to expand their customer's cultural horizons beyond their plate. Belly dancing, Mr. Zirh and Mr. Krasnov said, is an ancient form of expression that today is a combination of Turkish, Egyptian and Greek cultures. Every prop, from a sword to the zills (finger cymbals), and every movement has a meaning and a cultural representation.

But for some in Northboro — based on the example video provided to the selectmen to research Zem Han's request — belly dancing is nothing more than a scantily clad woman.

“What is pornography and what is art? Who makes that decision? There are certain fundamentals that define each,” Mr. Krasnov said.

On Thursday, the restaurant had its first performance, a bit of a dry run to work out the logistics and gauge customer reaction. Based on amateur home video, the customers were engaged, clapping and rearranging their chairs to watch the show.

Mr. Krasnov and Mr. Zirh have agreed to the notification requirement and have said they are willing to tailor the costumes and performances based on any complaints or concerns.

The business partners are also being flexible with their food offerings to please the palates of their customers.

“We understand that the United States is a country with certain tastes and a conservative set to their minds,” said Mr. Krasnov, who defected from the Soviet Union to the U.S. in 1986. Mr. Zirh is from Turkey. “We are trying to adapt to that taste.”

The menu, prepared by a chef who hails from Turkey, contains a lot of eggplant, fish and lamb items. They are also looking to offer dishes that mesh with American tastes for meat and potatoes.

“We are trying to be responsive and trying to survive just on the food,” Mr. Krasnov said, adding they expect to be able to serve alcohol by December.

“When people come to our restaurant, we want to bring food and entertainment that belongs to the Mediterranean area. We want to bring that spirit, which is why we have pillows on some of our benches. We want our customers to feel comfortable and create an atmosphere through food and music,” Mr. Krasnov said. “We want people to feel like they are walking into another part of the world.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.